After a doggedly cold winter that lasted until a few short weeks ago, visitors and locals alike enjoyed idyllic spring weather for cherry blossom season. The trees were a gift from Japan 102 years ago.
Large Crowds Enjoy Washington's Cherry Blossom Season
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Crowds of people enjoy the famed cherry blossoms, a gift from Japan 102 years ago, Tidal Basin, Washington, DC, April 13, 2014. (Elizabeth Pfotzer/VOA)
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A visitor attempts to photograph his dog under the cherry trees at the Tidal Basin, Washington, DC, April 13, 2014. (Elizabeth Pfotzer/VOA)
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Visitors photograph the cherry blossoms in peak bloom around the Tidal Basin, Washington, DC, April 13, 2014. (Elizabeth Pfotzer/VOA)
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The Jefferson Memorial can be seen through cherry blossoms in full bloom along the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC, April 13, 2014. (Elizabeth Pfotzer/VOA)
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Cherry blossom petals adorn the lawn near the Tidal Basin. After the blossoms have reached their peak, a breeze can create a dramatic "snowstorm" of petals falling to the ground, Washington, DC, April 13, 2014. (Elizabeth Pfotzer/VOA)
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Cherry blossoms in full bloom frame the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial along the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC, April 13, 2014. (Elizabeth Pfotzer/VOA)
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Tourists and visitors line up along the edge of the Tidal Basin to photograph the cherry blossoms in the early morning, Washington, DC, April 13, 2014. (Elizabeth Pfotzer/VOA)
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A duck paddles close to shore early morning at the Tidal Basin, Washington, DC, April 13, 2014. (Elizabeth Pfotzer/VOA)